YouTube helping experts learn surgical techniques

More and more experts are using streaming online media such as YouTube to learn new surgical techniques, researchers including an Indian-origin scientist report.

A survey involving members from the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (AAFPRS) found that most of them had used online streaming media (YouTube) at least once to learn a new technique and most had used those techniques in practice.

Anita Sethna from Emory University's school of medicine, Atlanta, and co-authors surveyed AAFPRS members and received 202 responses.

The most popular ways to stay current with technical and non-technical findings included meetings, journals and discussions with colleagues.

"However, 64.1 percent of respondents said they had used online media at least once to learn a new technique, especially for rhinoplasty and injectable procedures and 83.1 percent had used those techniques in their practice," Sethna and authors wrote in an article published online by JAMA Facial Plastic Surgery.

Less experienced surgeons were more likely to have used online streaming media than more experienced surgeons.

"The enthusiasm is not unbridled, however. The internet's ease of access has raised concerns regarding the quality of these sources," the authors noted.